Jennifer Hooter
Jennifer Hooter, a new member of the Hobby Area District board of directors, works in real estate at Greystar and she oversees a residential property in the district. She shared her thoughts about her board position, her work at Greystar, and her passion for raising butterflies. Here’s what she had to say:
Q: What is your day job?
A: I’m regional property manager at real estate and property company Greystar, where I oversee a portfolio of properties. One of the properties is in the district. I look after investment income, budget, any issues on-site that need to be escalated, pretty much everything that’s on the “back end. “
Q: How long have you worked in real estate?
A: I’ve been with Greystar for two years, and before that I was with a real estate company that was acquired by Greystar. So, my total tenure is 18 years. I like to joke that I have a PhD in my current role. I came to real estate from the world of lifeguarding. I started lifeguarding at 15. I worked as a lifeguard for the city, then started at a lifeguard company where I worked my way up. A fellow lifeguard friend got a job as a courtesy officer at a property, and he told me about a leasing professional job they were taking applications for. I applied and I got the role.
Q: Tell us a little bit about your family. Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up in Pasadena surrounded by my extended family. My grandparents came to Texas from Arkansas and Mississippi, respectively. I’ve been married to my husband, Jeremy, for 18 years and we have two kids, Jaiden, 16, and Jentry, 13.
Q: Why were you interested in serving on the board?
A: The district has done a lot of good for my property. Whenever we’ve had any issues, the district has been so quick to help. I saw the work that was being done by the district and the board, and it really interested me. When I learned more about it in detail, I decided that it was something I was interested in helping out with.
Q: How do you use your background and skills as a member of the management district board?
A: Within the district, there are a lot of businesses and communities. With my eye for detail, I can lend my expertise of dealing with the many day-to-day issues that come up in the world of real estate. I also deal with people a lot. The people aspect helps me to listen well, to understand different points of view, and to add thought so that I can have conversations to help make things better.
Q: What makes this management district so special?
A: I like that the focus in the district has been on the safety of its citizens. That’s really important to me. The district prioritizes the experience of its citizens, whether it be cleaning up a property, fixing a road, or adding lights to a road. There are so many different voices in the district that are contributing and are really thinking about how things here affect the city overall.
Q: What are you hoping to learn from serving on the management district board?
A: I always like learning anything new. Anything I learn can be used in my daily life. I’m excited to be a part of the inner workings of the district and to be with the decision-makers. Being part of a group of people working together toward a common goal really appeals to me.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish from serving on the board?
A: I like being a voice for my community. The apartment community in the district that I oversee contains almost 600 units, with multiple people living in each. So, that’s really like a small town. I’m a voice for them, and if I can make life even slightly better for the people living there, then that’s a win for me.
Q: What are some of your interests and hobbies?
A: I love to read. I enjoy self-help books, professional guides and books, and novels as well. Really, anything you give me, I’ll read it. I also garden. I have a butterfly garden and a pollinator garden. I love bees and I raise monarch butterflies.
— By Deborah Lynn Blumberg
